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What Does Pride Mean To You?

By Blog

Phoenix Pride unites, educates, and engages people to support and empower the LGBTQ community and our allies.

We recently asked the community to offer feedback on the question “What does pride mean to you?” The responses were overwhelming, and we appreciate all of you who responded to this request! We wanted to share a few that really stuck out to us:

“Pride to me means being able to be your authentic self, being proud of who you and standing up for yourself every time someone questions your pride. I’m proud of who I am because I’m a part of a unique community with the same struggle all fighting for the same goal Equality for all.”

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From the President’s Desk

By Blog

Phoenix Pride had an incredible and successful year. I’m extremely proud of the work we have accomplished in 2017. With the help of our dedicated Board of Directors, wonderful staff, committee managers and hundreds of volunteers, I am both humbled and grateful for our success.

Our organization is fiscally strong as we move into 2018 with a very robust strategic plan. We have the community’s support for the great work we do, evidenced by the highest attendance ever at the 2017 Phoenix Pride Festival and Parade, breaking the already substantial records set in previous years.

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LIGHT ON THE HORIZON

By Blog

2017: Over 37,000 people attended Phoenix Pride in April of this year; the largest attendance ever. Almost every Pride Celebration across the country had record numbers attending. We certainly have come a long way over that last few years to celebrate who we, without fear and with PRIDE. We as a community must cherish this freedom we have and cannot ever forget the road we all took to get here.

1989: This was the year Cleveland, Ohio celebrated for the first time and it was my first time at a Gay Pride Celebration. This type of gathering was new and somewhat strange to all of us. Just the thought of marching down a main street or even just watching from the sideline brought on emotions of stress and fear. Read More

DIRECTOR’S CORNER

By Blog

I remember the first time I saw two men holding hands was back in the year 2001.  My family had taken us to visit my Uncle (also former Godfather) in Jersey City, NJ.  We went to New York City, NY to see times square, the statue of liberty and a few other tourist attractions.  It was around 8:30 pm on a Friday night when two men were walking down the street, smiling, laughing and holding hands.  The reaction from my parents was one of pure disgust.  My birth father nearly stopped breathing at that moment and my birth mother started to pray (I think that’s what you call her actions at that moment).  My brother, sister, and uncle didn’t even give it much attention at all.  My uncle, noticing the reaction from my parents looked at them and said, “at least when they hold hands they are happy.” Read More

2014 Pride Festival Theme Nominations, Dragraisers, Junior Pageant Prelims, Community Strong, and More

By Newsletter
 
Phoenix Pride celebrates and promotes the history, diversity and future prosperity of the metropolitan Phoenix LGBTQ community. 

GET TO KNOW OUR MENTORS: FREDDY PRINZE CHARMING & JENSEN C. DEAN
 

 

1. What makes you unique and what are you planning to bring to the table that other teams don’t have?

Freddy: Being a drag veteran, I think I’ve got the years of experience that some of the other teams may not necessarily have. My style has always been unique, and I may be able to pass that along to our mentee. I’m hoping that the support this community has always shown me will be shown to Angie as she fundraises.

Jensen:  One thing that makes me unique is, I spent many years, prior to doing drag, assisting in and setting up fundraisers so with that knowledge it could give our team a bit of diversity in fundraising methods to maximize the amount of money we are able to raise.

 

2.  Why do you feel it is so important to educate the community on the Phoenix Pride Scholarship Program?

F: As entertainers and community representatives, we have some responsibility to give back to the community that supports us.  It’s great that Phoenix Pride helps to further the education of the Phoenix LGBTQ community, regardless of age, and something that needs to be made known.

J: I feel it is important to give back to the community because it is essential to grow and thrive.  The Phoenix Pride Scholarship is an important program because it is one of few scholarships available without a maximum age limit allowing more of the community to achieve a higher level of education, thus making our community stronger as a whole.

 

3.  Our Dragraisers will be looking to you for inspiration and guidance, who do you look to for your own inspiration and guidance?

F: I look to my peers, both here and across the country, for advice and inspiration. I often bounce ideas off other kings, and even queens, to get feedback. And generally, there is no one more supportive than those who are a part of the craft, unless it’s our partners. When it comes down to it, they are the people who inspire and support us on a daily basis.

 

J: I look to the veteran kings and male illusionists that have spent years perfecting their craft and building a good reputation for the drag king community.

     Each year Phoenix Pride selects a theme for the upcoming Parade and Festival.
Previous themes have been, “Three Decades, One Community, For Pride”, “Celebrate Community, Celebrate Family, Celebrate You”, “More Color, More Voices, More Pride”, “Do Ask, Do Tell, Be Proud”, “Born This Way, Be It, Feel It, Live It, PROUD!” and in 2013 the ever popular “Equality & Justice For All”.
We need the help from our community. What do you think the 2014 Pride Festival and Parade Theme should be? We want our theme to continue to reflect the diverse richness and culture of our LGBTQ community.

CHECK IT OUT MUSIC FANS!

You saw Girl in a Coma perform at Pride this past April, see them again with Hunter Valentine at The Rhythm Room!

Register for a chance to win a pair of tickets to the show from SWAY Events!


MISS AND MISTER JUNIOR PHOENIX GAY PRIDE PRELIM WINNERS: TEMPE

     Last Tuesday, five contestants vied for the titles of Miss Junior Tempe and Mister Junior Tempe.
With a jazzy Top Gun-inspired flightsuit, Cody Ateraz, nailed the Design of Decade: 80s Wear Category.  But, the clincher was his surprise reveal of a “Ghostbusters” tee!  His attention to detail, great performance, and thoughtful answer to his On-Stage Question garnered him the victory!
Miz Roxy Heartless rocked the judges’ socks off with her high-octane performance to Paramore’s “Misery Buisness”!  Her “Rocker Chic” look coupled with a playful answer that allowed her personality to shine through during her On-Stage Question, Miz Roxy clinched the title!

DON’T FORGET TO GET YOUR EXHIBITOR APPLICATION IN!
Commercial and Non-Profit exhibitor applications will remain open until September 6, 2013.

Applications for Rainbows Festival, Oct 19-20, may be found on the Phoenix Pride website.

NEW THIS YEAR!  After listening to exhibitor feedback, we have added the following, in an effort to further enhance exhibitor experience:
  • One FREE parking space with each Commercial Booth space in Heritage Square Parking Garage (attached to venue)
  • Exhibitor Hotel Rate
  • Food Trucks welcome!

Please contact office@phoenixpride.org with questions.

  Phoenix Pride Sponsors

Food Vendor Application Deadline Approaching, Ticket GiveaSWAY, Community Strong, and more

By Newsletter
 
Phoenix Pride celebrates and promotes the history, diversity and future prosperity of the metropolitan Phoenix LGBTQ community. 

FOOD VENDOR DEADLINE THIS FRIDAY!
Food Vendor applications for the 2014 Rainbows Festival will close Friday, August 9th, and 11:59pm.

Commercial and Non-Profit exhibitor applications will remain open until September 6, 2013.

Applications for Rainbows Festival, Oct 19-20, may be found on the Phoenix Pride website.

NEW THIS YEAR!  After listening to exhibitor feedback, we have added the following, in an effort to further enhance exhibitor experience:
  • One FREE parking space with each Commercial Booth space in Heritage Square Parking Garage (attached to venue)
  • Exhibitor Hotel Rate
  • Food Trucks welcome!

Please contact office@phoenixpride.org with questions.

GET TO KNOW OUR DRAGRAISERS: ANGIE VANDINE
 

What makes you unique and what are you planning to bring to the table that other teams don’t have?

Being a skater for Arizona Roller Derby has helped me become close & personal friends with my inner warrior. My league, my sport, comprised of beautiful, strong women have taught me many forms of strength. My strongest being perseverance. I believe that my dedication to this beautiful cause & my perseverance will find me successful. AND I got a mean hip check.  that’s gotta come in handy in drag, right?  Maybe not, but don’t get in the way of my tip money fellow competitors, I can’t be held responsible.

 

How/Why did you become involved with Phoenix Pride?

Because Kevin Godfrey is a charming mofo.  I believe that supporting our community members, providing strong, positive role models through education of our present and future generations we will see a time that being a member of the GLBT community will be openly & unabashedly accepted by mainstream society. I believe all children (GLBT or otherwise) deserve to walk with their heads high, free from fear, and judgment for being themselves. I believe lifting up our community members by providing them opportunities to go out into the world & be advocates for our community is an integral part of this process. Through efforts of organizations like Phoenix Pride, we, as a community can usher in a new era of acceptance and love.

  
NOW TAKING SUBMISSIONS FOR THE 2014 FESTIVAL AND PARADE THEME
Each year Phoenix Pride selects a theme for the upcoming Parade and Festival.

Previous themes have been, “Three Decades, One Community, For Pride”, “Celebrate Community, Celebrate Family, Celebrate You”, “More Color, More Voices, More Pride”, “Do Ask, Do Tell, Be Proud”, “Born This Way, Be It, Feel It, Live It, PROUD!” and in 2013 the ever popular “Equality & Justice For All”.

We need the help from our community. What do you think the 2014 Pride Festival and Parade Theme should be? We want our theme to continue to reflect the diverse richness and culture of our LGBTQ community.

CHECK IT OUT MUSIC FANS!

You saw Girl in a Coma perform at Pride this past April, see them again with Hunter Valentine at The Rhythm Room!

Register for a chance to win a pair of tickets to the show from SWAY Events!

  Phoenix Pride Sponsors